Sunday, February 19, 2012

Tijera Mathews scored a career-high 15 points to lead a balanced attack as 11th-ranked Alaska Anchorage claimed the GNAC regular-season title outright with a 72-42 victory over Western Oregon at the New P.E. Building Saturday.

The Seawolves (24-4, 15-2) also got 12 points from guard Haley Holmstead and 11 points, five rebounds and five assists from freshman guard Gritt Ryder to post their fifth straight win.

Elsewhere in the GNAC, Western Washington clinched no worse than a tie for second with a 75-64 win over Central Washington. Seattle Pacific moved into a three-way tie for third place with Montana State Billings and Simon Fraser with a 70-56 road win at Billings.

Northwest Nazarene clinched a playoff berth by defeating SFU 71-67. Meanwhile Saint Martin's snapped a nine-game losing streak defeating Alaska Fairbanks 66-58.

Western Oregon (7-20, 6-10) was led by guard Jade Haas who had 12 points and eight rebounds.

After falling behind 10-9 in the first seven minutes, the Seawolves answered with an 8-0 run and forged to a 33-17 lead at halftime. WOU sliced its deficit to 41-30 on Dana Goularte's three-point play with 11:50 remaining, but the Wolves would get no closer.

The result marked UAA's 17th consecutive win over WOU, extending the program's all-time record against any opponent. It also gives the Seawolves at least 24 victories for the fifth year in a row.

Mathews shot 5 of 9 from the floor and sank all four of her free throws to top her previous career-high by one point, adding four rebounds and four steals.

Hanna Johansson tied for game-high honors with nine rebounds and dished four assists.

In addition to Haas, Melissa Fowler was also in double figures for WOU with 11 points.